HR0821 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0821 LRB093 21852 BDD 49818 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed new environmental rules concerning mercury pollution from coal-fired electric plants; and

WHEREAS, These new rules are detrimental to the nation and the State of Illinois as well; and

WHEREAS, These new rules mandate that pollution control equipment be installed in 80% of the plants that burn coal from the Eastern regions of the nation, as well as the State of Illinois; the same rules require the same equipment be installed in only 30% of the plants that burn coal from Western states; and

WHEREAS, As a consequence of these new rules, the federal government will encourage utilities to burn Western coal rather than Illinois coal; and

WHEREAS, These new rules will trigger a loss of jobs in the Illinois coal industry, where many working families depend upon the industry for their livelihood; and

WHEREAS, These new rules will promote greater levels of pollution because the sub-bituminous coal mined from the Western regions of the country contains more mercury than the bituminous coal mined from Illinois; and

WHEREAS, In pursuing the goal to create a healthier environment, the federal government should not favor the more polluted coal from one region of the country over the less polluted coal from another; therefore be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider its proposed rules concerning mercury pollution from coal-fired electric plants and to hold all types of coal to the same emission standards; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the President of the United States, the Secretary of the Interior, the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.